Eminent Domain Protester Canario Held In Gitmo Style
Lauren Canario, Free State Project member noted for protesting against REAL ID and most recently, the eminent domain taking of Mrs. Kelo's New London, CT home, is being treated inhumanely in Connecticut's high-security York Correctional Institution.
According to close friend Kat Kanning, Canario, arrested Sept 22, on a mere charge of trespassing (on property she had a valid lease agreement with the owner for), is being held in shackles under bright lights 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. While she can receive mail, she can neither make or receive phone calls, nor send out mail.
The shackling and lighting treatment is one that has historically been used by oppressive governments to break the will of political prisoners and spies, prior to mind control indoctriation or interrogation. That she is being held in solitary confinement in the prisons psych ward is indicative of Soviet era reports of political prisoners being institutionalized as psychiatric patients. Prison officials allege that they've put her in the psych ward because she refuses to talk.
Thus, she is being treated as a psych patient only because she is exercising her right to not cooperate with her oppressors and her right to not speak.
Nor, apparently, does she have a lawyer. Bill Von Winkle, a Fort Trumbull homeowner from whom Canario rented an apartment, helped her get a lawyer, but “when she saw that I wasn't walking, that I was dragged, she decided she didn't want to represent me,” Canario said.
The silence that has frustrated two judges was not planned, she said at one of her public appearances.
“When I get angry, I can't talk,” she said.
Neither have the courts appointed counsel for her, another violation of her rights. Thus, she remains in a condition much like that of the 'unlawful enemy combatants' that President Bush is holding in Guantanamo Bay.
While we in the US are now familiar with this 24-hour-a-day lighting treatment having been used improperly on Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison by US forces, and in Guantanamo's notorious "Camp X-Ray", on some of the most heinous terrorist enemies of the United States, we are shocked to see this sort of treatment being perpetrated upon a middle aged woman arrested for the mere charge of trespassing (again, on property she had a valid lease to be on from the lawful owner).
A call made to York Correctional Institution resulted in a refusal by staff on duty to make any statement about Lauren's condition, deferring to Major Karen Oien, who will be available tomorrow for comment.
Inquiries to NH Governor John Lynch's office as to whether he will try to intercede with CT Gov. Jodi Rell to protect the rights of Canario, who is a New Hampshire resident, have been made, but not responded to.
What does the government have to fear from a middle aged woman who offered absolutely no resistance to her arrest, has no record of any violent crimes, who is being abused for her exercise of her right of silence and noncooperation?
Lauren can, apparently, receive letters, so those wishing to express support for her can mail them to:
If you wish to ask NH Governor Lynch to intercede on Lauren's behalf, you can call his office at 603 271-2121 and ask for Amy Harrington. Be polite.
Those wishing to get worked up can, of course, call CT Gov. Jodi Rell's office at (800) 406-1527. Be sure to note Lauren's prisoner number.
We'll be back tomorrow with updates on what the powers that be say about Lauren's treatment.
According to close friend Kat Kanning, Canario, arrested Sept 22, on a mere charge of trespassing (on property she had a valid lease agreement with the owner for), is being held in shackles under bright lights 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. While she can receive mail, she can neither make or receive phone calls, nor send out mail.
The shackling and lighting treatment is one that has historically been used by oppressive governments to break the will of political prisoners and spies, prior to mind control indoctriation or interrogation. That she is being held in solitary confinement in the prisons psych ward is indicative of Soviet era reports of political prisoners being institutionalized as psychiatric patients. Prison officials allege that they've put her in the psych ward because she refuses to talk.
Thus, she is being treated as a psych patient only because she is exercising her right to not cooperate with her oppressors and her right to not speak.
Nor, apparently, does she have a lawyer. Bill Von Winkle, a Fort Trumbull homeowner from whom Canario rented an apartment, helped her get a lawyer, but “when she saw that I wasn't walking, that I was dragged, she decided she didn't want to represent me,” Canario said.
The silence that has frustrated two judges was not planned, she said at one of her public appearances.
“When I get angry, I can't talk,” she said.
Neither have the courts appointed counsel for her, another violation of her rights. Thus, she remains in a condition much like that of the 'unlawful enemy combatants' that President Bush is holding in Guantanamo Bay.
While we in the US are now familiar with this 24-hour-a-day lighting treatment having been used improperly on Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison by US forces, and in Guantanamo's notorious "Camp X-Ray", on some of the most heinous terrorist enemies of the United States, we are shocked to see this sort of treatment being perpetrated upon a middle aged woman arrested for the mere charge of trespassing (again, on property she had a valid lease to be on from the lawful owner).
A call made to York Correctional Institution resulted in a refusal by staff on duty to make any statement about Lauren's condition, deferring to Major Karen Oien, who will be available tomorrow for comment.
Inquiries to NH Governor John Lynch's office as to whether he will try to intercede with CT Gov. Jodi Rell to protect the rights of Canario, who is a New Hampshire resident, have been made, but not responded to.
What does the government have to fear from a middle aged woman who offered absolutely no resistance to her arrest, has no record of any violent crimes, who is being abused for her exercise of her right of silence and noncooperation?
Lauren can, apparently, receive letters, so those wishing to express support for her can mail them to:
Lauren Canario #334457
c/o York Correctional Institution
201 West Main Street
Niantic, CT 06357
If you wish to ask NH Governor Lynch to intercede on Lauren's behalf, you can call his office at 603 271-2121 and ask for Amy Harrington. Be polite.
Those wishing to get worked up can, of course, call CT Gov. Jodi Rell's office at (800) 406-1527. Be sure to note Lauren's prisoner number.
We'll be back tomorrow with updates on what the powers that be say about Lauren's treatment.
posted by Mike Lorrey at 5:25 PM
11 Comments:
Don't even know where to begin...how does the prison rationalize using 'shackling and lighting' on any prisoner psych patient or not, I can't imagine this is common practice in the psych ward? Simply unreal.
Last I read 12 states have referendums on this years ballot to curtail the ability of the government to seize property. I hope they all pass and it sends a clear signal to Washington that this isn't acceptable.
They always treat you worse when they think you are crazy or suicidal. It is their excuse to harm you.
Gotta wonder where any of this info is coming from. Who said she was shckeld under lights? Who saw it? I am not saying it isn't true, but where is the info coming from...?
By her not being appointed a lawyer is not a violation of her rights, she first has to request one, and if she doesn't speak that thats not going to happen. By not speaking she is just taking it point blank, to do something about it she needs to speak. If this is true she has no one to blame but herself and her lack of cooperation.
When pro athletes get arrested, or are wanted they turn themselves in, cooperate, and usually get off, she should listen.
They call you crazy to give them an excuse to lock you up and harm you, too. A constitutional amendment that says that "No person may be held against his or her will solely for failing any number of sanity tests." would be a good idea. Only those who violently injure others should be imprisoned. Only once imprisoned should mental conditions be taken into account in order to imprison the person humanely, and the person should still not be "treated" against his or her will.
This is a bit off-point here; she shouldn't have been imprisoned in the first place.
A libertarian constitutional amendment in this day and age? Not terribly likely...
http://www.geocities.com/forpropertyrights
It would seem to me that she should stop having a tantrum, and begin walking like a normal person and communicating with the world like a sane person.
From this description she would have had a lawyer and likely be released if not for this crazy desire to be stubborn.
I have to agree with a few other people - if she would talk this would probably be over. Why is she refusing to talk? Why does she think this will help her? How do we know the treatment she is getting? How is *any* of this information known? I am all for protecting people and freedoms but I like to know the truth and not just some rant with no factual basis and proof.
I love how the pro government trolls always blame the victim. This lady has fifth amendment rights, not to mention fourth amendment rights. It is the government's responsibility to abide by those rights until and unless she is convicted in a court of law. The only people who think this kind of soft torutre is cool are communist whack jobs and big government bootlickers.
Being stubborn is any American's right. That is how we got our independance in the first place. Do you not remember someone called Martin Luther King, Jr. who suggested being peacefully stubborn until you get your way? I grant that there may be better ways of handling this particular situation, but she is doing nothing wrong and is being near tortured for it. Unconscionable!
In a free society, surely there is no greater freedom than just to refuse to talk. She is exercising her freedom. If we force her to talk to leave, then we have violated one of the most sacred of rights as a human.
Hi,
I enjoyed reading your blog, as it has some very thoughtful insights. Perhaps you’d like to link to my newly created blog? It’s about politics and life, from a Libertarian perspective, with a slight lean towards focusing on local issues in Delaware. Though new, I'm expecting to have a new, full, post each day. The link is http://theindependentopinion.blogspot.com if you’re interested, if not, have a nice day, and stay free.
Regards,
Chris
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